Barry and Elinor leave us to go to Portugal and then Paris

Our week with Grandparents is over. We were so sad to see family leave today. Luckily, we were able to have Sacrament Meeting with them and then a nice afternoon. They left here at about 4p.m., our time. Jason and Mitchell took them to the airport and they are flying to Portugal for 3 nights, then to Paris for two nights and then home. Robby asked if they would like to take him with them. It was cute. I think they are grateful to be leaving, but they enjoyed seeing where we have been and Elinor and I became pretty intense shopping buddies. Elinor learned vocabulary she said she never knew existed: Prada, Versache, Gucci, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, etc., :D. I'm not sure that Barry was too thrilled she'd learned this "whole new language!" We may be able to meet up with them in Paris on Thursday. They leave Friday morning.

I am now blogging and we are waiting for my Mom to call to learn about Italy today. My Mom is the best story teller ever and our children are so excited to leave Morocco and see all the sights she is telling us about.

As I contemplate leaving, I find myself a little teeny, tiny, teensy, weensy bit sad that we are leaving this world. I've learned a lot and I appreciate our wonderful American country even more than I already did and in an entirely different way than before. I've been making it a point to carry around a lot of little coins called dirham. When I meet people begging for money, I've been able to give these coins to as many as I could. When I first arrived, I tried to keep my eyes down and tried to ignore these beggars as much as possible. I think I thought that if I couldn't helpe everyone, how could I help one? My attitude has changed dramatically. If I can help one or bring happiness to even one person, it lifts my spirit and helps remind me of the many blessings I have been given. As I was walking today with Elinor, Vanessa, etc., we came across a man that reminded me of stories I'd heard my entire life of people that begged the Savior to heal them. He was a Moroccan and he was sitting on the ground, on a dirty looking thin rug and his legs were out in front of him shrivelled and severely deformed. I rushed over to him to give him money--my eyes filled with tears. It made my heart hurt to see him in this condition. It made me wish that the Savior was there to heal him and make him whole. Some day. Once again, my mind and heart filled with gratitude for the blessing of being born in my family, in Idaho, as a member of the Church and the blessing of having my sweet little family with me, healthy, happy and learning to appreciate all the blessings we have been given.